In a secret stronghold of the Dongyan Ancient Clan, three elders—Dongyan Hai, Dongyan Jue, and Dongyan Ma—were gathered in a chamber with a silver-white floor, engaged in discussion.
"The list of participants for the Spirit Domain Gathering has been finalized, and some Reincarnation Realm cultivators have already entered Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom." Dongyan Ma spoke as he stared at the starry ceiling, where the stars formed an eight-sided cage overlapped by countless circular rings.
Inside the cage, numerous stars flickered, and more were continuously appearing.
"The number of Reincarnation Realm cultivators has already reached 1,253, though most of them are relatively weak."
"We still need to watch out for any late arrivals—there may be stronger ones joining." Dongyan Jue had three eyes, with a vertical eye on his forehead—the Eye of Fate, which looked as though it had been forcefully implanted.
"Jue, what did you see?" Dongyan Hai asked.
Dongyan Jue wouldn't have made that remark for no reason.
"The invitation list has a few unexpected names," he mused. "For example, Meng Wu of Red Star Empire—he wasn't originally invited, yet now he's suddenly appeared on the list."
"Another is Emperor Hongshan of Primordial Hill—he was in seclusion, but for some reason, he has become restless and decided to attend."
"Is there an issue with that?" Dongyan Hai asked.
"I can't tell for sure." Dongyan Jue shook his head. "The invitation list is never fully controllable. In past Spirit Domain Gatherings, the final number of participants has always fluctuated."
"I just think we should keep an eye on it."
"Regular Reincarnation Realm cultivators are one thing, but Emperor-level Reincarnation cultivators are never simple."
"Has the predestined scheme shown any deviations?" Dongyan Hai asked.
"None—at least, not in a major way."
"'Not in a major way'?"
Dongyan Jue hesitated. "The backup sacred artifact remains unchanged. However, the originally prepared sacred artifact has now evolved into a Reincarnation Dao Soldier."
"This proves that Qing Yuzi has already stepped into the trap, though he remains unaware. However, when I observe him, his presence still appears… blurred."
"What do you mean by 'blurred'?" Dongyan Hai frowned.
"I see three overlapping figures. He seems to be with others."
"When I checked the predestined scheme earlier, it indicated that Qing Yuzi was neither alive nor dead, but the sacred artifact had already been unsealed."
"A dead Qing Yuzi, a living Qing Yuzi—true and false mixed together, just an illusion meant to deceive us." Dongyan Ma spoke indifferently.
"Where is he now?" Dongyan Hai asked.
"He is not within the Ancient Kingdom's borders."
"Why hasn't he entered Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom yet?" Dongyan Hai frowned. "This concerns the sacred artifact—I don't want any mishaps."
"Should we adjust the scheme to correct his course?" Dongyan Ma suggested. "We could kill him directly and send the sacred artifact ourselves."
The two turned to Dongyan Jue, who pondered for a moment before answering. "I have a karmic contract with him. If we do this, he will certainly know. If we wish to kill him without his awareness, the price will be high."
"How high?" Dongyan Hai asked.
Dongyan Jue made a few calculations with his fingers before his expression turned strange. "Unexpectedly… there are multiple possible outcomes."
"What do you mean?"
"As of this moment, to kill Qing Yuzi without alerting him, we need to sacrifice two Reincarnation Dao Soldiers. However, to seize the sacred artifact, we would need one Divine Artifact."
"If we wait 214 years, the cost will decrease significantly."
"If we wait 416 years, there won't be any cost at all."
Hearing this, Dongyan Hai nodded. As time passed, Qing Yuzi's influence would weaken.
Even if the plan were exposed later, it wouldn't matter—by then, it would be too late for anyone to react, and the impact on their scheme would be minimal.
A raging wildfire, once fully ablaze, no longer fears being discovered.
"In 214 years, if the sacred artifact still hasn't been fully assimilated, then—even if he remains a variable—we will pay the price to eliminate him." Dongyan Hai concluded.
"Understood. I'll make the preparations." Dongyan Jue nodded.
The three elders then shifted their discussion to other matters.
If Qing Yuzi hadn't taken the sacred artifact they had prepared and started uncovering secrets, he wouldn't even be worth three Emperor-level Reincarnation cultivators discussing him.
Qing Yuzi believed that they were trying to resurrect a Reincarnation cultivator—but that was completely wrong.
The "karmic contract" was just an insurance policy, nothing more.
"What we need to be most cautious about is whether some unexpected figures will appear at the gathering."
"The other priority is the Xuanling Chronicles." Dongyan Hai continued. "We still haven't obtained a single Time Page. If the Ancient Gods are revived, the situation could be reversed at any moment."
"Only a few hundred years remain… Finding one will be difficult."
"Shadow Sanctuary claims to have leads, but they're all fakes."
"…"
—
After bidding farewell to Du Yun, Zhao Xing departed from Tiger Head Star Continent.
He and Ji Si were both heading toward Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, but neither planned to enter immediately.
Even though Qing Yuzi's corpse seemed to be urging him forward, Zhao Xing had no intention of stepping into the Ancient Kingdom just yet.
Outside its borders, the forces pulling at him were still subtle. But once he entered, if he wanted to leave again, it wouldn't be easy.
"If I consider Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's borders as a Realm Transmission Gate, then outside the kingdom is the relatively safe zone."
"Qing Yuzi, holding that ancient sword, keeps pushing me forward. That's one influence."
"But these invisible forces—the unexpected occurrences—they're another form of influence. And once inside, those influences will only grow stronger."
As long as he stayed outside the 'storyline', he was still fine.
But the moment he stepped inside, the forces of the script would take over, pushing him forward relentlessly—and there'd be no escape.
This wasn't like digging up graves, where Bai Yang could just use a History Projection Clone to deceive everyone.
"As long as I have Time Pages shielding me, I can delay things a little. At the very least… until the person I'm waiting for arrives." Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, the year 1700 of the Shixin Era arrived.
Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, Sunlight Star Ring.
This place was on the border of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, the closest stellar port to the Phantom God Star System.
Inside a luxurious estate within the Sunlight Star Ring, Zhao Xing was flipping through the latest information regarding the Spirit Domain Gathering via Star Realm Projection.
"More than 13,000 Reincarnation Realm cultivators have already arrived in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom… So many powerful figures have come."
Lying in a spiritual pool, Zhao Xing browsed through the public list of invited participants.
Whenever Reincarnation Realm cultivators entered Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, their presence was made public. Anyone could check this list at any time.
To verify whether his efforts to summon reinforcements had worked, Zhao Xing only needed to observe the most recent updated participant list.
A gentle voice came from the other end of the spiritual pool, surrounded by mist.
"That's not even the final number. In the end, the count is expected to reach 40,000 Reincarnation Realm cultivators and over 10 billion Dao Domain Realm cultivators."
"Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom went all out to secure the right to host this gathering. The King of Yuanhai started making preparations a whole era ago."
"Our Lu Clan also contributed a lot. The special spirit fruit provided for Dao Domain Realm cultivators, the Yuan Yin Fruit, comes from us."
Lu Yuehan's face was as smooth as jade, her delicate collarbone barely visible above the shimmering water of the spiritual spring. Ethereal spirit fish swam around her, their glowing scales reflecting multicolored light.
She raised her hand, letting a few drops of water fall, tracing down her fair skin, glowing with a soft radiance, like a celestial maiden bathing in starlight.
Despite the alluring sight, Zhao Xing didn't even glance up, his eyes still fixed on the Star Realm Projection.
"Being able to supply resources for the gathering proves that the Lu Clan is truly formidable. I'm quite impressed."
"You're way too obsessed with your Star Realm Projection, Zhao Xing. You won't even put it down now?" Lu Yuehan pouted.
"I invited you inside Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, but you insisted on meeting outside the border. Now that we're here, you're not saying what you want to do. Really…"
Such a stunning beauty was sharing a bath with him, and yet, he was staring at the Star Realm Projection…
Could he really not think of anything better to do?
"Hahaha, forgive me, Miss Lu." Zhao Xing chuckled awkwardly. He lifted his head slightly, but his eyes remained glued to the projection.
Right now, he had no interest in distractions.
He was on the verge of death—how could he possibly think about anything else?
It was already the year 1700 of the Shixin Era. He had to see just how many reinforcements he had managed to summon over the last two centuries.
Moreover, the public participant list of the Spirit Domain Gathering contained valuable clues.
"I can already see Emperor Lingyuan, Emperor Qingli, Emperor Youhuang, and Emperor Haochen… A lot of these names are familiar to me. Many of them also attended the Tianyou Gathering."
The Spirit Domain Gathering, hosted by Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, was sometimes called the Yuanhai Gathering.
But the one Zhao Xing remembered had been held in Tianyou Ancient Kingdom, and was referred to as the Tianyou Gathering.
"However, just because they are alive now doesn't mean the Dongyan Ancient Clan failed."
It was extremely difficult to truly kill a Reincarnation Realm cultivator.
If faced with mortal danger, those who had Reincarnation Dao Soldiers as their lifebound treasures could protect a portion of their True Soul, escaping into deep void space.
However, using this method meant giving up their entire cultivation from this lifetime. Everything they had painstakingly accumulated in this life would become fuel for their enemies.
For those without Reincarnation Dao Soldiers, escape was nearly impossible.
Even if a cultivator did escape, rebuilding their cultivation realm was one thing—but restoring their battle strength was another matter entirely.
For example, if Zhao Xing, as a Reincarnation Realm cultivator, actively chose to reincarnate, his entire Yuanhai Domain, including his Thousand Illusions Tree, Mo Yun Vine, and many other treasures, would all vanish.
Even if he regained his Reincarnation Realm cultivation, he wouldn't recover his full combat ability.
Certain body refinement techniques, such as those who cultivated top-tier Void Ancestor Golden Bodies, depended on rare materials. If those materials were destroyed, even if a cultivator remembered the technique, they would never be able to rebuild their former body.
"Just because Emperor Lingyuan, Emperor Qingli, Emperor Youhuang, and Emperor Haochen are alive now, it doesn't mean they didn't die back then. They might have been killed once, only to recover later."
Many of these figures belonged to powerful factions.
As long as they awakened their Reincarnation memories and reconnected with their sects, they could quickly return to the Reincarnation Realm.
For the Dongyan Ancient Clan, attempting to eliminate Reincarnation Realm cultivators was, in many cases, just cutting off their current life, forcing them to sacrifice their present cultivation.
Only those who didn't have Reincarnation Dao Soldiers were truly gone forever.
"With so many people still alive, it's likely that Dongyan Ancient Clan's plan failed."
Seeing the updated invitation list, Zhao Xing felt a bit more at ease.
He believed that some of the Emperor-level figures wouldn't have gone down so easily.
"Buzz—"
The Star Realm Projection shimmered, its interface rippling like flowing water.
[The Invitation List Has Been Updated in Real-Time!]
Zhao Xing's gaze sharpened.
Sweeping through the latest updates, his lips curled into a smile.
"Good. Meng Wu and Emperor Hongshan have both appeared on the list."
Not all Reincarnation Realm cultivators were equal in strength.
The weakest tier included those who had just advanced to the Reincarnation Realm and had yet to refine a Reincarnation Dao Soldier.
Their True Soul was extremely fragile, and they hadn't even mastered basic Reincarnation techniques.
If one of these cultivators died, they died for good—their True Soul would be completely erased.
This kind of low-level Reincarnation Realm cultivator was mockingly called a "Returning Dao Emperor."
The name meant that if they dared to reincarnate, they were basically offering themselves up for slaughter.
The second tier consisted of experienced Reincarnation Realm cultivators.
These individuals had survived multiple reincarnations and had fully mastered Reincarnation techniques.
However, they still lacked a Reincarnation Dao Soldier.
They often reincarnated in controlled environments, slowly strengthening their True Soul over multiple lifetimes.
As long as they avoided major crises, even without a Reincarnation Dao Soldier, they could eventually recover their cultivation.
Those who reached this level were considered "seasoned Reincarnation Realm cultivators."
The third tier consisted of elite Reincarnation Realm cultivators.
These experts had fully refined their Reincarnation Dao Soldiers, experienced dozens of reincarnations, and had exceptionally powerful True Souls.
At this level, it was already extremely difficult to truly kill them. Unless someone specifically set up a trap, their True Soul was devoured, or they reincarnated into a deadly environment where both their True Soul and Dao Soldier were completely annihilated, they could always return.
Given the current situation in the Xuanling Star Domain, there were fewer and fewer stable methods for Reincarnation Realm cultivators to strengthen their True Soul.
With spiritual energy rapidly declining and many regions becoming barren, reincarnation had become dangerous and unpredictable. As a result, even elite Reincarnation Realm cultivators were becoming rarer.
The fourth tier—the Reincarnation Emperor.
Each one possessed unique Reincarnation techniques, an exclusive Reincarnation Dao Soldier, and had experienced at least one hundred reincarnations.
Such individuals were dominant forces even among Reincarnation Realm cultivators. The Emperor-level Reincarnation cultivators were often referred to as the closest existences to true gods.
Ordinary, Experienced, Elite, and Emperor—these were the distinct ranks among the Reincarnation Realm.
"Elite Reincarnation Realm cultivators are already rare, and Emperor-level ones are even more scarce. Meng Wu and Emperor Hongshan are both top-tier existences in this category."
"One belongs to the Qi School, and the other is a Earthly Shennong."
Zhao Xing mused to himself.
"Only Emperor-level figures would be drawn to Divine Artifacts, because their very act of reincarnation is driven by the desire to attain godhood."
Weaker Reincarnation Realm cultivators wouldn't even dare touch a Divine Artifact, as they lacked the power to protect it. Instead, they might attract attention, leading to disastrous consequences.
"Emperor Hongshan comes from Primordial Hill, and Meng Wu is from the Red Star Empire… I wonder how many more will show up."
For the sake of survival, Zhao Xing had spent years trying to lure as many Reincarnation Emperors as possible.
He had no idea who exactly would arrive, so he cast a wide net.
No matter what, it was better to try than to do nothing.
"Some of these Emperor-level figures have short tempers. If they figure out the truth, they might hunt me down immediately. But I'm about to die anyway, so why should I care?"
"Let Qing Yuzi take the blame. He can repay the debt in my place."
"This was all because of Emperor Qing Yu and Emperor Tianning's schemes—what does this have to do with me, Zhao Xing?"
"I'm not even taking any benefits from this."
Zhao Xing's thoughts turned cold.
"Zhao Xing, you have a terrifying expression right now… like you're plotting something evil~"
Before he realized it, Lu Yuehan had swum closer.
"Hm?"
Zhao Xing lifted his head, almost kissing Lu Yuehan.
She was so close that their faces were nearly touching.
Her lips were strikingly red, her nose perfectly sculpted, and her eyes carried a teasing yet inviting glimmer. Below the water, her figure was utterly alluring.
"Zhao Xing, there's no one else in the Moonlight Spirit Spring. If you were planning something wicked, I'm only in the Second Realm—I wouldn't be able to resist you."
Lu Yuehan whispered into his ear, her breath light and teasing, sending ripples of sound into his ears.
"Fairy, if you keep this up, someone might actually lose control."
Zhao Xing sighed.
"What would happen if you lost control, then?"
Lu Yuehan backed up slightly, watching him with amusement.
"Do you want to find out?"
"Of course," Lu Yuehan's eyes sparkled. "I want to know everything about you, Zhao Xing."
"Then look into my eyes."
Zhao Xing locked eyes with Lu Yuehan and immediately "projected" a scene into her mind.
A mountain of corpses, an ocean of blood, the agonizing wails of countless dying turtles filled her vision.
Then, the scene abruptly shifted to a dark mushroom forest, where monstrous fungi split open their mouths, unleashing terrifying laughter.
"Ah—!"
Lu Yuehan jerked back, instinctively shivering in fear.
Zhao Xing smirked in satisfaction.
He was just about to leave, but Lu Yuehan quickly recovered and moved closer again.
"Zhao Xing, are you… a Demonic Shennong?"
"…?"
Zhao Xing was stunned.
Why did she sound even more excited?!
He had tried to scare her away, but instead, she seemed more interested.
A Demonic Shennong was useful as a guest elder, but she couldn't possibly like that, right?
This wasn't the reaction he expected at all.
"Yes… Aren't you afraid?"
"Not at all. I'm just even more curious." Lu Yuehan stared at him with bright eyes.
"I'm afraid," Zhao Xing said flatly, vanishing behind a screen, quickly putting on his clothes.
"What are you afraid of?"
Lu Yuehan splashed the water playfully.
"I'm afraid of delaying you."
Zhao Xing spoke from behind the screen.
"I live a dangerous life. I'm a gambler who walks the knife's edge."
"A Dao companion should share life and death together. Besides, Zhao Xing, how dangerous could your plans possibly be? I, Lu Yuehan, am also a gambler!"
"If it came down to betting your entire Lu Clan, would you be willing to use them as a wager?"
Lu Yuehan didn't answer.
She simply slapped the water angrily.
She took his words as an excuse to brush her off.
After all, Zhao Xing was only in the Minor Divine Ability Realm. No matter how much trouble he could stir up, there had to be a limit.
Making such a ridiculous hypothetical—wasn't he just avoiding her question?
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing had already left the Moonlight Spirit Spring.
If Lu Yuehan had been the type of casual woman, he wouldn't have minded playing along.
But since she was looking for a true Dao companion, he couldn't take things lightly.
He wasn't even sure if he could survive, so why drag someone else down with him?
"Whoosh—"
Zhao Xing arrived at Ji Si's room.
"Grand Shennong."
Ji Si was floating cross-legged atop a mountain of books, surrounded by ancient tomes with wings, flapping through the air.
"Whoa, what is this new trick?"
Zhao Xing curiously examined the flying books.
Ji Si descended, deep in thought.
"I'm studying the Star History: Ancient Demons—The Asura Chronicles. I want to summon an Asura from the ancient demon race."
"But my foundation isn't strong enough yet. The Asura race is extinct, so I could only summon their wings—I can't bring out a full Asura spirit."
"I see." Zhao Xing nodded.
"Sorry if I interrupted you."
"You didn't."
Ji Si shook her head.
"If not for you, Grand Shennong, I wouldn't have made it this far."
"How could I possibly call it an interruption?"
Zhao Xing had no doubt that without him, Ji Si would still be stuck in the Second Realm.
He was someone who dual-cultivated Destiny and History, and if it weren't for the resources Zhao Xing provided, it would have taken him ten thousand years to reach this stage.
"My mistake. I was being too formal." Zhao Xing chuckled, then moved to the main topic. "Ji Si, for now, you don't need to send out the letters."
With a flick of his hand, a star map appeared. "Next, you'll accompany me to this place."
Ji Si looked at the location Zhao Xing pointed to and froze for a moment. "Tao Yuan Star? Grand Shennong, isn't that right on the border between Great Ye Dynasty and Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom?"
"Yes."
Ji Si didn't ask further.
For the past two hundred years, Zhao Xing had been wandering the borders of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom. He didn't seem to be doing anything significant, almost like he was traveling for leisure. But there was one thing he had been constantly doing—deploying clones everywhere.
"Are we leaving immediately?"
"Same as always. I'll go first, you follow later," Zhao Xing said.
"What about Zhan Ze?"
"Don't worry about him. I sent him to Qingyu Star to refine artifacts."
Near a mining planet known as Hao Mu Jia 13, under the jurisdiction of Great Ye Dynasty.
"Buzz—"
Without any warning, Zhao Xing's void ship self-destructed.
"Boom!"
His main body and all of his clones were instantly obliterated near the desolate mining planet Hao Mu Jia 13.
Immediately afterward, space twisted, and a figure in a black robe stepped out.
His name was Quentin—a Seventh-Rebirth Reincarnation Realm cultivator, considered a seasoned veteran among Reincarnators.
He was specifically dispatched by the Dongyan Ancient Clan to deal with the "Qing Yuzi Problem."
"Collect."
With a wave of his hand, Quentin gathered all the remains and disappeared.
Three days after Quentin left, Ji Si arrived at Hao Mu Jia 13.
She immediately opened her ring.
"Buzz—"
A beam of white light expanded, covering the entire planetary system where Hao Mu Jia 13 was located.
"Grand Shennong!"
Ji Si's void ship suddenly accelerated and caught up with Zhao Xing's ship.
As soon as Ji Si entered his ship, Zhao Xing's expression changed. "You used it?"
"Yes." Ji Si nodded seriously.
The one who possessed Time Pages was the only one who retained memories from before the rewind.
At this moment, Zhao Xing was unaware of what had happened, but Ji Si knew everything.
"Turn around! We're leaving now!" Zhao Xing immediately decided to change course.
Meanwhile, Quentin was still camping near Hao Mu Jia 13, waiting for his target to appear.
He had no idea what had just happened.
Even one year later, after Zhao Xing had long vanished, Quentin still believed that the artifact he had retrieved contained an error—either miscalculating the location or the timing.
"Grand Shennong… that artifact is actually…"
"Enough. You know what it is—don't say it out loud." Zhao Xing's expression was dark.
After Ji Si's warning, he immediately checked his system panel.
It clearly displayed that he had indeed traveled to Hao Mu Jia 13—even listing the exact coordinates of his death.
There was no doubt about it—he had already died once.
"When did you use it?" Zhao Xing asked.
"On the third day."
"Good." Zhao Xing let out a breath of relief.
The rewind was only three days, and they were still in a desolate star system within Great Ye Dynasty. This made it difficult for others to detect any anomalies.
"The Law of Time smooths out all distortions."
"Rewinding time is like removing a patch of mud from a riverbed—eventually, the water fills the gap, erasing all traces."
If they had attempted this inside Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, at a highly monitored location, a longer rewind might have alerted a few high-level cultivators who were sensitive to such disturbances.
"Grand Shennong, I…"
"What is it?"
"I think this artifact… should stay with you."
"Are you scared?"
"No." Ji Si shook her head.
"I discovered that it has a passive rewind function."
"If you hold onto it, you can pre-set specific time points for an automatic rewind."
"I might not always be able to reach you in time, but if you keep it, you can activate it yourself whenever necessary."
"It works that way?" Zhao Xing was startled.
In his past life, he had never encountered an artifact like this.
"Yes." Ji Si nodded.
"The moment I held it, I understood its ability. It doesn't require a Historian's bloodline—anyone can use it."
She pointed behind Zhao Xing. "Imagine your shadow splitting into countless figures—each one a version of you, walking through the river of time."
"When you rewind, your past becomes your present, and your present becomes the future."
"I see." Zhao Xing nodded.
That meant he no longer needed Ji Si to manually activate the Time Pages.
As long as he kept it on his person, it could passively rewind if he died.
This was far more secure.
Previously, there were too many uncertainties in relying on Ji Si to reach him in time. Now, he could activate it the moment he needed it.
"I can't afford to wait any longer." Zhao Xing muttered.
"I must enter Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom immediately—otherwise, these 'deaths' will keep happening."
Once was enough. He wouldn't keep testing fate.
The Dongyan Ancient Clan possessed Divine Artifacts. While the Time Pages had a high priority, it wasn't guaranteed that it would go undetected forever.
"Let's go. We're heading to Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom."
A top-tier realm star, serving as the imperial capital of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, meticulously refined over countless years.
On an ancient street within Yuanhai Realm Star, Meng Wu strolled leisurely.
"Wu Tian, you roam across ancient kingdoms, deceiving and swindling, claiming to foresee the past and future. Have you ever heard the name 'Emperor Tianning'?"
"How can you call it 'deception and swindling'? Meng Wu, you misunderstand me deeply."
A hollow voice came from within a ring on his finger.
Meng Wu smirked. "Alright. Let's get serious."
Wu Tian replied, "Emperor Tianning? That's obviously a fabricated title."
"This person is probably incredibly weak—which is why they're using such a grandiose alias to bait you."
"What makes you say that?"
"Meng Wu, I'm going to say something harsh, but don't take it personally…"
"You might be an Emperor-level Reincarnator, but you're not worth a Divine Artifact."
"That's harsh," Meng Wu clicked his tongue.
"If this is your old friend, and they haven't come to see you by now, then there's only one reason—they don't dare to," Wu Tian said casually. "Other than being weak, what other possibility is there?"
"This person is definitely not just baiting you into Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom."
"As I said before, one person alone isn't worth a Divine Artifact."
"Oh? So you're saying this Tianning Emperor is gathering all the strong cultivators in one place?" Meng Wu asked.
"Of course." Wu Tian was certain. "So you don't need to go looking for him—he will come to you."
"Interesting." Meng Wu chuckled. "As expected, a con artist knows a con artist best."
"You flatter me."
"If you're so smart, then tell me—what exactly is he planning?" Meng Wu pressed further.
"And how did he get information on my private affairs?"
"If you can answer me, I'll reduce your sentence and let you out of Erliang Slope."
The ring was silent for a long time. Just as Meng Wu was losing patience, Wu Tian's voice finally returned.
"I can't say."
Meng Wu stopped in his tracks, surprised. "You're actually scared? What are you afraid of?"
Wu Tian's voice was hoarse. "I can't say."
"Oh?" Meng Wu narrowed his eyes. "You're not going to tell me to give up my greed? That desire you were lecturing me about earlier?"
"I can't say."
Meng Wu immediately lost interest. He sneered, "I think you're just talking in circles because you have nothing useful to say."
"In fact, I doubt anyone is actually coming to find me."
But the moment he finished speaking, a transmission from his great-grandson, Meng Ye, arrived.
"Great-grandfather, someone delivered a letter to our residence. He claimed to be sent by Tianning Emperor."
"Oh?"
Meng Wu's expression shifted dramatically.
Wu Tian had actually predicted this correctly?
"Whoosh—"
With a single thought, Meng Wu returned to his residence.
Meng Ye was already waiting.
"The letter."
"Here it is."
"How was it delivered?"
"It was brought by a very ordinary message puppet from Yuanhai Kingdom," Meng Ye hesitated. "Great-grandfather, did I make a mistake? Should I have captured the puppet?"
"No need." Meng Wu shook his head.
Whether Tianning Emperor was real or fake, whoever sent the letter would never allow themselves to be traced.
The letter, just like the last one, was written in Bone-Flame Script.
Meng Wu ran his hand across the text, and flames ignited along the edges.
"Whoosh—"
In the fire, a single line of words emerged:
[Old friend, please meet me at 'Shanhai Pavilion.' Wait for two hundred years.]
"Shanhai Pavilion?" Meng Wu turned to his great-grandson. "Are there any places called Shanhai Pavilion in Yuanhai Capital?"
"Many," Meng Ye answered immediately. "At least thirty million locations use that name."
"What the hell is this person trying to do!" Meng Wu was getting annoyed. He had to wait and search?
"There may be millions of Shanhai Pavilions, but there's only one that would allow many Reincarnators to gather without drawing attention," Wu Tian's voice drifted from the ring.
"I already know that—did I ask you?" Meng Wu snapped, sealing the ring shut.
Then, he turned to his great-grandson.
"Go. Find me a Shanhai Pavilion that fits the description—one where multiple Reincarnators can gather without suspicion."
"Understood!"
At the entrance of Shanhai Pavilion
"This must be the place," Emperor Hongshan muttered as he gazed up at the towering structure.
"It's not far from the Dharma Assembly venue. I wonder who is waiting for me here."
Keeping a low profile, Hongshan Emperor stepped inside.
Compared to his reserved demeanor, the other Reincarnators' arrivals were far more extravagant.
"RIPPPP—"
The void tore apart as a colossal dragon emerged.
Immediately after, a Kunpeng soared through the sky, its wings generating razor-sharp wind blades that cut through space itself. Its cry shattered the void, echoing like rolling thunder.
Another figure arrived, resembling a Kylin, its scales inscribed with ancient runes. As it strode through the void, flames erupted from its body, capable of incinerating all things.
A parade of mythical beasts filled the skies.
At first glance, outsiders would have mistaken this scene for a demon horde invading the mortal realm.
And then—
A figure stepped out from behind the divine beasts.
His slender frame was wrapped in a dark robe.
He sat upon a throne of silver, adorned with the skulls of countless divine beasts. Beneath the throne, flames and planetary fragments churned ceaselessly, like a miniature cosmic inferno.
The surrounding stars rotated around his throne, making him seem like the center of the universe itself.
"BOOM—"
The air shook violently as the mythical beasts pulled the throne forward, their collective power causing the entire sky to tremble.
"It's Emperor Lingyuan! Emperor Lingyuan is here!"
"What an overwhelming presence! We're all Reincarnators, but just one look from him feels like it could erase me from existence!"
"You can't compare! His mechanical beasts alone number over a thousand at Reincarnation-level combat strength! How do you even compete with that?"
"That's the Ten Thousand Demon Throne! Emperor Lingyuan slew over ten thousand Reincarnation-level demon beasts and fused their essence into his Dao Soldiers—of course his aura is terrifying!"
"Everyone, move aside—"
Even among Reincarnators, the gap in power was immense. Before an Emperor-tier cultivator like Lingyuan, the others could only step back and make way.
However, Emperor Lingyuan soon retracted his oppressive aura.
All the beasts vanished.
Even the Ten Thousand Demon Throne disappeared.
Now, he stood alone, his angular features sharp like a blade, his sword-like brows slanting into his temples. His eyes were deep and abyssal, cold as the night sky itself.
Upon reaching the entrance of Shanhai Pavilion, Emperor Lingyuan transmitted his voice directly to the welcoming attendant.
"Is there a Tianning Emperor here?"
The attendant shook his head.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there is no such person here."
Emperor Lingyuan responded indifferently.
"Then prepare me a quiet place to stay."
"As you wish, Your Majesty. Please follow me."
"Whoosh—"
With the arrival of Emperor Hongshan and Emperor Lingyuan, more figures began to appear at Shanhai Pavilion…
As soon as they arrived, they immediately asked the person in charge whether a Tianning Emperor was present.
This left the Shanhai Pavilion steward, Tianzhi, completely baffled.
"Have we ever had a guest named Tianning Emperor staying here?" Tianzhi asked his subordinates.
"No," the subordinate shook his head firmly. "Absolutely not."
"Tianning Emperor…" Tianzhi murmured, puzzled. "Why have I never heard of such a person?"
"Forget it, you may leave."
One after another, figures continued arriving at Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's Yuanhai Realm Star.
Meanwhile, the so-called Tianning Emperor was overwhelmed with tasks.
After Zhao Xing encountered an unexpected death, he decisively entered Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
Following Qing Yuzi's guidance—or rather, the guidance of the Sacred Artifact—he began searching for another Sacred Artifact.
However, what he didn't expect was that, after going in circles, he ended up returning to Qingyu Realm Star.
"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"
The Sacred Artifact in Qing Yuzi's hand trembled violently, seemingly eager to head in a certain direction. However, Qing Yuzi's corpse remained unwavering, staring forward with determination.
A sword and a person—the two seemed to have reached a serious disagreement.
"You want to go to Qingyu Realm Star?" Zhao Xing asked.
Qing Yuzi didn't answer, but the gloom surrounding him stopped surging, which was a silent confirmation.
Zhao Xing then looked at the ancient sword, whose tip was pointing eastward. "And where does it want to go?"
"Aren't we supposed to be heading to the Imperial Capital?"
Zhao Xing was confused.
Logically speaking, since the Dharma Assembly was being held in Yuanhai Empire, then the altar and Sacred Artifacts should also be within the empire. Even if they weren't directly in the capital, they should at least be nearby.
But now, both the ancient sword's direction and Qing Yuzi's intended path were not leading toward the Imperial Capital.
"I already made arrangements with Lu Yuehan. She was supposed to take me into the Imperial Capital for the Dharma Assembly. And now you're saying we're not going?"
"Brother, what exactly are you trying to do?" Zhao Xing was speechless.
This wasn't just being cryptic anymore—this was straight-up playing mind games.
"You're seriously testing my patience..." Zhao Xing muttered.
Left with no choice, he took out the Time Page and wrapped it around the Reincarnation Ancient Sword.
With that, the sword's trembling subsided somewhat.
And just like that, in the year 1723 of the Shixin Era, Zhao Xing returned to Qingyu Realm Star.
The way he returned was rather unique.
When Qing Yuzi was still three or four star systems away from Qingyu Realm Star, he suddenly swiped his hand, tearing open a void rift.
On the other side of the rift, a coffin lay in waiting.
"You had this up your sleeve the whole time? You never taught me this trick!" Zhao Xing exclaimed in surprise.
Qing Yuzi had opened a void passage, much like Du Yun's technique, shortening the distance between them.
And the coffin on the other end—it looked awfully familiar.
"Wait a minute… isn't that the ice coffin where Old Qing's body was stored?"
How did this thing end up here?
Was it part of Qing Yuzi's tomb?
"Hisss—"
Qing Yuzi's gloomy aura began to fluctuate again, as if urging Zhao Xing to follow him.
"Well… since I'm already here…" Zhao Xing muttered, reluctantly stepping into the void passage.
And just like that, he and Qing Yuzi's corpse returned to the underground of Qingyu Realm Star.
Zhao Xing had only seen the ice coffin before, but he had no idea where it ended up after sinking into the depths.
As he stepped out of the void passage, he scanned the surroundings—and instantly let out a bitter chuckle.
"You built a Reincarnation Altar beneath Qingyu Realm Star? Does your teacher know about this?"
For the first time, Qing Yuzi responded.
The murkiness in his eyes cleared, igniting into flames, forming a line of words.
[He knew, but not entirely. I had him prepare the materials for me, around a full era ago, when I went to the Shenluo Barren Domain.]
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
Zhao Xing applauded mockingly. "Amazing. So you and your teacher played me like a fool. Truly impressive."
"So, back when you left that final message for the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion, you had already factored me into your plans, huh?"
[Not entirely. Su Wan's soul trial—her final test—was deliberately designed to let you pass.]
[If you hadn't formed the Three Divinities Destiny Palace, you wouldn't have been able to bring me back.]
[I originally planned for Purple Moon to simply give you some money to settle the karma. But now—you're already caught in the web.]
Zhao Xing was speechless.
So the final trial of Su Wan's soul refinement—was actually Qing Yuzi's doing?!
And he sold the act perfectly, making it seem like pure coincidence?!
"Now it makes sense why Lord of Purple Moon Mansion gave me so much money just for returning a corpse."
"But there's still one thing I don't understand."
[Go ahead.]
Zhao Xing pointed at the surroundings.
"You're missing quite a few things here, aren't you?"
"The Reincarnation Altar is just a frame. Your lifebound Dao Soldier isn't here. The sacrificial offerings are missing too… You don't seriously plan on just milking the Dongyan Ancient Clan for everything, do you?"
Qing Yuzi remained silent.
Instead, he suddenly grabbed the Reincarnation Ancient Sword, leaned back, and plunged it straight into his own chest.
"Schlick!"
The blade pierced through his torso, emerging from his back, still humming violently.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Zhao Xing was shocked.
He had seen people defiling corpses before—but he had never seen someone defile their own corpse.
"If you can't say it, then don't say it. I get it—some things are taboo. But you don't need to go this far!"
After impaling himself, Qing Yuzi released his grip on the sword.
He staggered backward, then sat cross-legged on the altar, extending one hand into the void, reaching out toward something distant—as if waiting for something.
Zhao Xing stepped forward, watching closely.
Qing Yuzi's eyes flickered with a new line of words.
[I can't say it. But do you remember the first trial I set up?]
"Of course I do, you—"
"Wait."
"Holy sh*t."
Zhao Xing's pupils shrank.
Suddenly, he realized something.
Qing Yuzi's expression twisted into a smug grin, like someone who had just pulled off the ultimate heist.
[Yes. It's exactly what you're thinking. With this, I don't need any additional treasures.]
Zhao Xing froze.
His whole body went numb.
"Are you serious?"
Qing Yuzi had stolen—
A Derivation of the Divine Spirit Tablet?!